Esa Pekka Salonen: Wing on Wing

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This trio of recent works by Salonen suggests that he's one of the most interesting composers on today's scene. All three share the virtues of his highly individual style, modernistic and accessible. Foreign Bodies is in three parts and is concerned with the unity of music and the body. It opens with a machine-tooled movement of driving rhythms and color-drenched orchestration. The second is more relaxed, with subtle washes of color, and the finale, titled "Dance," returns to rhythm as a motivating force, albeit with a fascinating twittering woodwind-led climax. Wing on Wing's title derives from a sailing term but also might describe the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, home of the city's Philharmonic, for which it was written. It's an adventurous work featuring a pair of coloratura sopranos singing wordlessly, human instruments part of an orchestral fabric that also incorporates a manipulated tape of architect Frank Gehry's voice and another of a fish whose call is seamlessly incorporated into the texture. Insomnia begins with a brief dreamlike passage, the bulk of the piece a succession of restless, often obsessive episodes; some threatening, others frantically joyful, but always constantly engrossing and punctuated by virtuoso solos from the orchestra. A fascinating disc that should be heard. --Dan Davis

Esa Pekka Salonen: Wing on Wing, Music, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Anu Komsi, Piia Komsi, Classical, Classical Composers, Orchestral, Orchestral & Symphonic, Orchestral Music, Vocal, Vocal Music

Average customer rating:

Wing on Wing Doesn't Fly

This is absolutely great music.

Simply great!

Very accessible new music

Esi-Pekki's World

Esa Pekka Salonen: Wing on Wing

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000787WYC
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Tracks:

Part I: Body Language
Part II: Language
Part III: Dance
Wing On Wing
Insomnia

Amazon.com

This trio of recent works by Salonen suggests that he's one of the most interesting composers on today's scene. All three share the virtues of his highly individual style, modernistic and accessible. Foreign Bodies is in three parts and is concerned with the unity of music and the body. It opens with a machine-tooled movement of driving rhythms and color-drenched orchestration. The second is more relaxed, with subtle washes of color, and the finale, titled "Dance," returns to rhythm as a motivating force, albeit with a fascinating twittering woodwind-led climax. Wing on Wing's title derives from a sailing term but also might describe the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, home of the city's Philharmonic, for which it was written. It's an adventurous work featuring a pair of coloratura sopranos singing wordlessly, human instruments part of an orchestral fabric that also incorporates a manipulated tape of architect Frank Gehry's voice and another of a fish whose call is seamlessly incorporated into the texture. Insomnia begins with a brief dreamlike passage, the bulk of the piece a succession of restless, often obsessive episodes; some threatening, others frantically joyful, but always constantly engrossing and punctuated by virtuoso solos from the orchestra. A fascinating disc that should be heard. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Wing on Wing Doesn't Fly.......2007-06-27

Recently Esa Pekka Salonen was here in New York City. He was charismatic, forceful and literally made the music soar at Alice Tully Hall. I quickly bought this CD and another of his and sat down to enjoy the music.

The music on this CD, however, was not to my liking. It was a little too modern for me and I tried listening to it again the next day but came away with the same feeling.

I also think that the sound was tinny and while there was nothing wrong with the disc the orchestra did not sound complete despite Salonen's solid direction.

I'm glad I have it in my collection but it's not for everyone and unfortunately I'm one of those persons.

This is absolutely great music........2006-01-08

I'm no expert in Esa-Pekka Salonen and his compositional style, but this is absolutely great music. I love his vivid orchestration and different musical colors he utilizes in each of the pieces. And unlike the radical, atonal music of French conductor-composer Pierre Boulez, Salonen's music is relatively more accesible in terms of sonority (I've heard pieces by other extreme composers like Schoenberg and Penderecki, okay?).

To a beginner of contemporary Classical Music, it may take time, but for the experienced, one should never hesitate to buy the album. The music is simply dazzling, if not wierd or even psychedelic. "Wing on Wing", featuring two coloratura sopranos, is especially worth listening. Good way to witness "Art Music" beyond the new millenium.

Simply great!.......2005-04-04

This is a stunning issue. On this showing, Esa Pekka Salonen the composer is right up there with such living luminaries as John Adams or John Corigliano, or even outshine them, and this magnificent collection of his recent works bears that out. This is, above all, "tonality rediscovered." There are unmistakable traces of minimalism, serialism, and even atonality in every piece on this disc, but they are all powerful and lyrical by turns and highly accessible. Sibelian points of reference can also be felt, particularly in Insomnia, reminidng us that he is, after all, a Finn who learned composition from Eijojuhani Rautavaara. A major issue in every way.

Very accessible new music.......2005-03-10

I heard Salonen conduct his work "Insomnia" with the Chicago Symphony last season. It was an exciting piece, performed well, and the audience that night received it with great applause. When I saw this new recording was available I ordered it right away. After several listenings I'm even more impressed with Salonen's compositional skills. All three works on this CD are impressive. The pieces are accessible and highly listenable. They challenge you to meet the composer in his world of sound. The best new music has a sense of purpose and direction, and this music doesn't disappoint. "Wing on Wing" includes soprano vocalise as another element of color.
If you respond to this music as I have, then try his earlier CD titled "LA Variations". This CD, "Wing on Wing" is recommeded without reservation. Salonen is an important composer/conductor of our time.

Esi-Pekki's World.......2005-02-16

Invading foreign bodies, bacteria, sailing ships as architecture; it seems to me that Salonen is going Sci-Fi with his new compilation of his latest works. And so maybe it is not a co-incidence that I feel that actually all of the pieces here, especially Wing-on-Wing, sound like classical versions of the music of a Jean-Michel Jarre playing to a movietheme...

Having said that, I find this music very very attractive, at times a bit nervous, yet always innovative and interesting, especially in terms of orchestration and color. Salonen is a master of orchestration. Wing-on-Wing is a true highlight to me, and can stand right side by side with his earlier opus magnum, LA Variations. Especially the two sopranos shine, and the 'duets' they perform against the orchestra are truly stunning.

Highly recommended.

PS: When does he make his next recording with the LA Phil?

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